Malibu skateboarders are one step closer to getting a temporary skate park while a more permanent option is worked out. City Council voted, 5-0, on Monday, to authorize a professional services agreement with American Ramp Company for the design of the temporary park.
Papa Jack’s—Malibu’s former skate park—closed in October 2011 when its lease expired. It was later replaced by the Whole Foods market project.
“We have an aggressive time frame for this project,” Community Services Director Jesse Bobbett said.
The first public design hearing will be on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Bobbett said it was possible the city might only need to host one design meeting, and could potentially move forward with the project after next week. If a second meeting is necessary due to disagreements over the design, it will be held the following Wednesday, on Jan. 29. After that, the project will be heard by the planning commission on Feb. 3.
The final design will be presented to City Council in either late February or early March, Bobbett said. A request for construction bidding will follow.
“We’re trying to keep moving here,” Bobbett said.
Malibu resident and skater Hamish Patterson thanked Bobbett for his hard work on the skate park project.
“It’s been a long haul since Papa Jack’s closed, and we’ve had our ups and our downs, and it’s really pretty cool to be moving forward with this,” Patterson said.
Looking over at a group of more than a dozen young local skateboarders who came to show their support for the project, Hamish said he wanted to remind them that this is just the first phase of moving forward.
“Let’s remember, we’re trying to get concrete poured. We’re going to get a temporary park ramp, but the real stuff’s going to come about getting the concrete poured, and maybe we’re going to get a little bit of opposition, and then we’re going to need to stay strong with all that stuff,” Hamish told the crowd.
Malibu skate mom Jodi Gourson agreed with Patterson that there would be some opposition, but said she couldn’t imagine anyone would oppose a skate park for the kids.
“I really think the start of the temporary park is amazing, and something for them to do, so that they can leave Trancas Market alone,” Gourson said. “Right, guys?”
“Yeah!” the skateboarders in attendance shouted.